Best Music 2013: Sirah Reveals Her Favorite Album Of The Year

Los Angeles-based rapstress Sirahis on the rise (even though she already won a Grammy for her Skrillex collab “Bangarang,” no big deal) — so what was soundtracking the Atlantic Records signee’s big year? Even though Sirah is known for her indie-rap stylings, for inspiration, she turned to the electropop of Ellie Goulding, whose 2012 LP Halcyontopped Sirah’s list for this year’s best.

“Lyrics-wise, she’s such a classic songwriter in my mind, but her production is advanced,” Sirah explains. “The two coupled creates a whole different world where her music lives for me. It blows my mind when someone writes a song that for all intents and purposes has already been written — all roads lead back to love, money, faith, loss, etc. — but Ellie has a way of painting it differently. She pulls out pieces in her songs I’ve never seen. I’m always hearing something new no matter how many times I’ve played it.”

As for tracks in particular? “It depends on the day, but I think ‘My Blood may currently be my favorite,” she says. “It cuts.”